My outside links

Monday, December 15, 2014

This blog post originally appeared on 12/26/12 *Sent to a new blog post*

[Post originally on Dec. 26, 2012]*There is a brand-spanking-new official website for Ms. Norton. http://www.andre-norton-books.com/When the stifling of summer changes to the cool breezes of fall and becomes the set cold of winter, I get nostalgic.I mentioned in the last post that since I am in Second-draft mode, I am taking a more inward analysis about myself as a writer. What do I mean?Because I keep a library in my bedroom as well as the family library in the den (sun room), this puts me in a unique position: I often have immediate or near immediate access to the books and stories that helped to shape my reading and writing persona.Let me tell you about a lady who named herself Andre Norton.

[PHOTO REMOVED - PLACED ON RE-POSTED POST]

Andre Norton was born Mary Alice Norton but legally changed her name to Andre Norton because she began to publish at a time (mid-1930s) when women writing SF were very likely to have their works snubbed by the 'male establishment'.(For more of this phenomenal writer's bio - go to her official site - created by fans, no less! ANDRE NORTON ORG:: Main Index)She was incredibly prolific, and her space adventures involving youth, strong female protagonists, won her many readers and lifelong fans.Originally a librarian, she seemed to know what middle-schoolers-to-high-schoolers-to-young adults were thinking, what they worried about.Whether it was coming to grips with new found abilities, or feeling an outcast because of said abilities, Andre Norton's stories seemed to touch upon very real pre-adolescent and adolescent feelings even in fantastical settings!After a used, tattered, coverless paperback was handed to me at 11, "Warlock of the Witch World", my imagination was lit on fire. Later, I took down every hardcover title we had on the family bookcase, snatching them for my bedroom library.I knew then, this was the author for me!It seemed predestined when, in Seventh Grade, an English teacher I didn't like very much, but who had recognized my gift for storytelling, gave me Ms. Norton's address while the author lived in Florida.I never followed through, and later, health and other reasons caused my role model to migrate to Tennessee.I can tell you I eventually did connect with Ms. Norton, wrote to her, but by then, she was growing feeble and unable to receive books to autograph, but I still have and cherish the card and letter I received from her.It is one of my regrets that I didn't interact more with this great author while she lived in Florida at the behest of my teacher.I would've had a longer relationship with someone I admired for so long and to tell her how much she influenced and inspired me to become the writer I am now.Thank You, Ms. Norton, THANK YOU

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MFA in Creative Writing, BSc in IT/Web design, AA in Art Ed.
'Angry Goblin' is a visual artist of some ability & author of short fiction, essays, & articles. http://TabbertheRed.org is her official site & she is its webmaster.